Klarinet Archive - Posting 001029.txt from 1997/10

From: "Edwin V. Lacy" <el2@-----.edu>
Subj: Re: bad tone
Date: Sat, 25 Oct 1997 19:55:15 -0400

On Sat, 25 Oct 1997 NETSKE@-----.com wrote:

> I have a problem with the bad tone message. If someone is a teacher of
> woodwinds, on any level, should'nt they know or find out how to solve
> the pupils problems on their instrument? If the teacher does not have a
> clue, how can the student improve?
[.............]
> I feel the "bad teacher" problem in some of our schools turns a lot of kids
> off to music and playing instruments.
[.............]
> By not helping the student, you do exactly the opposite of what your job
> is supposed to do. A music teacher is supposed to help make musicians.

This is a very broad and sweeping indictment of a particular music
teacher, who did care enough about a student's problem to ask for help
from those more familar with a particular instrument, and of music
teachers in general. It seems obvious to me that the message was written
by someone who is not a music teacher, and probably neither a teacher of
anything nor a musician.

There certainly are enough examples out there of "bad music teachers," and
I would never defend incompetent teaching. However, there are even more
examples of people who are both good teachers and good musicians who are
unable to be effective teachers due to incompetent administrators,
unsupportive school boards, uncaring parents, etc.

Please note that the original questioner didn't say he was a "teacher of
woodwinds." That phrase was from the message of the person who criticized
him for not having at his fingertips the answer to a specific problem on a
specific instrument.

But, to have a person in an elementary or secondary school who would be
regarded as a "teacher of woodwinds" would be very rare. Most often, the
teacher is a teacher of woodwinds, of brass, of percussion, and where I
live, also a teacher of strings. Now, to be a "teacher" of any one of the
above is in itself a sufficient challenge, and to try to do all of them is
much more impractical.

One can be a teacher of any specific instrument at many different levels.
Let's say that the teacher in question is a clarinet player. He or she
has probably played their own instrument for 10 to 12 years or more by the
time they have graduated from college, and has had private lessons from
several teachers, has played the instrument in many varied situations,
including recitals, ensembles, etc. He has probably done research in some
aspect of the clarinet, its history, techniques, acoustics, etc., and has
spent countless hours practicing and talking with other clarinetists about
the instrument and its problems.

Now, multiply that effort by the dozens of instruments about which the
teacher is supposed to be an expert. How realistic is that?

Now, let's take a look at the clarinetists/teacher's colleague, whose
major instrument might be trumpet, percussion or anything else. This
teacher can teach the trumpet at a very high level, and had techniques
classes in college about teaching the clarinet and all other instruments.
He probably can be expected to be an effective teacher of the clarinet at
certain levels. However, the finer points about alternate fingerings, the
information required to know the specific characteristics of various types
of mouthpieces, reeds, and instruments, and similar obscure information is
sufficiently arcane that it is simply not realistic to expect that a
single individual could ever accumulate all the information to be an
effectiove teacher of any and every instrument at an advanced level. Some
can get closer than others.

However, the process of "making musicians" consists of much more than
amassing information about instrumental techniques. The teacher can do
much for every student by being aware of such things as intonation,
musical phrasing, the production of good tone quality, the techniques of
ensemble performance, etc. Further, and even more importantly, probably
the best thing a teacher can do for his/her students is to transmit to
them an excitement and love for music itself. This will go much further
toward their eventual success as musicians than any amount of technical
information about instruments.

I would suggest that we not be too quick to damn all music teachers until
we have walked a few miles in their shoes.

Ed Lacy
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Dr. Edwin Lacy University of Evansville
Professor of Music 1800 Lincoln Avenue
Evansville, IN 47722
el2@-----.edu (812)479-2754
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